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Pastoral Liturgy
Volume 51 Article 30
Issue 3 Pastoral Liturgy 51 No 3
20-5-2021
31st Ordinary Sunday - 31 October 2021
Joe Tedesco
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Part of the Catholic Studies Commons, and the Liturgy and Worship Commons
Recommended Citation
Tedesco, Joe. "31st Ordinary Sunday - 31 October 2021." Pastoral Liturgy 51, no. 3 (2021): 1-5. https://researchonline.nd.edu.au/
pastoral-liturgy/vol51/iss3/30
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researchonline@nd.edu.au.Tedesco: 31 October 2021
31 October 2021
Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reflection by Joe Tedesco
Introduction
We can all, at times, find ourselves unsure how to commit to the calling of God in our
lives; where to place our priorities and how to order our values. We are invited to
follow the example of the scribe in today’s Gospel and put our questions to Jesus;
what matters the most?
Penitential Act
Use one of the Roman Missal texts or this optional litany form:
Lord Jesus, you teach us to love God with all our hearts, soul, mind and strength.
Lord, have mercy.
You call us to love our neighbour as ourselves. Christ, have mercy.
You draw us into the kingdom of God. Lord, have mercy.
First Reading
Deuteronomy 6:2–6
“You shall love the Lord your God”. These words are among the most treasured of
the Hebrew scripture, always at the forefront of the Jewish faithful. Through a deep
and devoted love of God, the people can experience tremendous blessing.
Second Reading
Hebrews 7:23–28
Again, the reading from Hebrews reminds us that, in Christ, we have a perfect high
priest who will never pass away. Christ is the promise fulfilled of a God who is
always present to us.
Gospel Reading
Mark 12:28–34
As we see a number of times in the Gospels, Jesus is among those attempting to
make sense of God’s law, what matters and what is of lesser concern.
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Published by ResearchOnline@ND, 2021 1Pastoral Liturgy, Vol. 51 [2021], Iss. 3, Art. 30
Reflection
As we have journeyed through Mark in this liturgical year, we have come
accustomed to the brash yet dense nature of the texts. Mark writes with a frankness
and brevity that gets to the point quickly. What is made clear, in this case, is the
eminence of ‘the greatest commandments’. The point is made through an exchange
between and inquisitive scribe and Jesus. A simple question is put to Jesus in verse
28: “what is the first of the commandments?” We assume here that the first and the
greatest are synonymous, and in a sense they are. The unfolding exchange
suggests as much. However, the use of a number matters, it is no accident. The
disputation among the relative worth of the commandments was a major concern
among Jews of the day. There were literally hundreds of decrees considered
‘commandments’ (the rabbis counted 613 from the Torah), and there was much
deliberation on how, when and where one applied them. This led to debates on the
relative value or order of importance that particular commandments had. The order
mattered not only because it helped interpret their application when they might, for
example seem to clash but, also, because the order provided a lens through which
the others were seen.
Thus, the first commandment, the quote taken from Deuteronomy 6 as appearing in
our first reading, places acknowledgment, love and devotion of God front and centre,
the greatest of the commandments. Everything else is only going to make sense if
this commandment is honoured and obeyed.
Those of us who are more steeped in the Christian tradition may sometimes get
caught up in various disputations both public and private. We may see things
differently from others and even bemoan how some part of our Church does not
value one principle, teaching or practice as much as we think it should. Perhaps we
wished people were more reverent in worship, perhaps we think that the Church
does not pay enough attention to the poor, perhaps we feel certain teaching is being
sidelined when it should be elevated and given more prominence, perhaps certain
practices that seem antiquated need updating, or maybe we’re the opposite, sure
that traditions long held are not being valued as they should. This goes along with
wanting the best from and for the faith and is not inherently a bad thing. Further,
there are times and places where it is appropriate that such concerns be drawn out.
However, we are reminded here in this Gospel reading that any order and value we
place on things always has a ‘crowning commandment’. Without it all else,
regardless of how noble a notion it is, falls out of order or, to put it colloquially, goes
‘out of whack’.
Another important teaching found in this reading is learnt not from Jesus but from the
scribe. Unlike the equivalent texts in Matthew (22:34-40) and Luke (10:25-28), the
scribe here is presented in a more positive light. In the other synoptic gospels the
scribe is seen to test Jesus, attempting to trip him up as it were. Here the scribe
comes with admiration of Jesus and appears to be genuinely concerned with his
opinion. By the end of the exchange the scribe is honoured by Jesus, pointing out
that he is in fact “not far from the kingdom of God” (v. 34).
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https://researchonline.nd.edu.au/pastoral-liturgy/vol51/iss3/30 2Tedesco: 31 October 2021
Thus, we too, should have an attitude of honest questioning of Jesus – frank yet
respectful, engaging and open to what Jesus has to say. Especially when we feel
defensive of this or some other concern in our beliefs or practices, we might focus
less on what we think and more on what Jesus has to say. Offering our thoughts and
opinions to Jesus is a good thing no doubt (the scribe in this exchange does just
this), but respectful deference to Jesus’ teaching is always a good way to navigate
any deliberation.
Returning to the ‘greatest commandments’ themselves, we notice that we are
required to use the plural. This contrasts the question as put to Jesus that is in the
singular “which is”. Ancient Greek is quite a technical language and there is no
denying the singular pronoun estin. The Scribe does not ask for the best two, or few,
but which is the first. Jesus answers with one then, without pause, launches into ‘the
second’; “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (taken from Leviticus 19:18).
We might think, given that the order seems to be important, that Jesus is just pre-
empting things a little, offering the next ‘cab off the rank’ so to speak. However, at
the conclusion of the full answer offered by Jesus states that together these are the
greatest commandments. The theological inference is well established but is still
easily missed. We cannot love God and not have a love of neighbour and,
concurrently, we cannot love our neighbour and not our God. We can only do both or
neither.
Last week we heard of Jesus curing Bartimaeus, the blind beggar. This week Jesus
is offering us to further improve our vision. To return to our earlier metaphor of these
‘first commandments’ being lenses through which we see all other teaching and
practice, Jesus is suggesting that we are most certainly bifocal creatures. Like
lenses in seeing glasses, we need both to be in if we are to see with clarity. We must
love God and we must love our neighbour. Before attempting to make sense on how
we are to live our lives or what principle or teaching needs most attention, we must
be viewing things through such lenses.
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Published by ResearchOnline@ND, 2021 3Pastoral Liturgy, Vol. 51 [2021], Iss. 3, Art. 30
Prayer of the Faithful
Introduction
We know that God is the rock where we take refuge. Therefore, we offer these
prayers in faith.
Petitions
We pray for all Christian people; may we, renewed by Christ’s grace, commit
ourselves to loving the Lord with all of our heart, soul and strength.
(Pause) Lord hear us OR We pray to the Lord.
We pray for world leaders. May they have the capacity to see the needs of their
people with wisdom and act with justice towards other nations.
(Pause) Lord hear us OR We pray to the Lord.
We pray for all baptised into the Priesthood of Christ; may we be reminded that
Christ is the one High Priest and always seek to serve the Lord in whose priesthood
we share.
(Pause) Lord hear us OR We pray to the Lord.
We pray for all baptised into the Priesthood of Christ; may we be reminded that
Christ is the one High Priest and always seek to serve the Lord in whose priesthood
we share.
(Pause) Lord hear us OR We pray to the Lord.
We pray for our own community that we will learn see through the eyes of Christ and
love our neighbour as ourselves.
(Pause) Lord hear us OR We pray to the Lord.
We pray for all those who suffer illness and grief. May they be able to see the face of
God through the kindness of their neighbours.
(Pause) Lord hear us OR We pray to the Lord.
Conclusion
We bring these prayers to our Father through the power of the Spirit and in the name
of the one eternal High Priest, Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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https://researchonline.nd.edu.au/pastoral-liturgy/vol51/iss3/30 4Tedesco: 31 October 2021
Music selections by Alessio Loiacono and Chris deSilva
GA
A new commandment. Anon. 318
Alleluia, sing to Jesus. W. Dix. 371
Lord of creation, to you be all praise. J. Winslow. 423
Love is his word. L. Connaughton. 462
This is my will. J. Quinn. 465
Ubi caritas. Gregorian Chant. 319
Ubi caritas. Taize. 324
Where there is charity and love. R. Connolly. 323
AOV1
Alleluia, sing to Jesus. W. Dix. 191
Gather us together. O. Alstott. 111
AOV2
Praise to the Lord. C. Winkworth. 132
AOV4Kids
Alive and aware. K. Bates SM. 20
Praise and thanksgiving. Traditional. 31
We are children of the living God. K. Sherman CSJ. 15
We want to live like you, Jesus. S. Wolf. 32
CWB
A new commandment I give unto you. John:13:34, 35. 615
This is my will. James Quinn SJ. 842
CWBII
Sunday by Sunday hymn suggestions
A new commandment. John 13: 34,35. 443
Alleluia! sing to Jesus! William Chatterton Dix. 449
Lord of all nations, grant me grace. Olive W. Spannaus. 542
This is my will, my one command. James Quinn SJ. 626
Where there is charity and love. Paraph. Richard Connolly. 638
Where true charity is dwelling/Ubi caritas est vera. Trans. ICEL. 639
S&S1
Alleluia! Sing to Jesus. William Dix. 97
Psalms Selected by Chris deSilva and Angela McCarthy
Psalm 17: I love you, Lord, my strength.
Psalm 17: Richard Proulx/Joseph Gelineau SJ. CWB 436
Psalm 18 (17): Jenny O’Brien. JOBB pg. 105
I love you, Lord: Tony Alonso LPB pg. 172
Music selections by Michael Mangan
Love God, love each other (LCC Children) [Gathering, Gifts, Sending]
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